Known video systems in the surveillance industry include a plurality of video sources, encoders, recorders, streamers, cloud server devices, and client devices, such as web applications, mobile applications, desktop applications, and the like. Known video flow includes capturing a scene, then encoding video of the captured scene, and then streaming or recording the encoded video. The video can be transmitted over a plurality of different channels, such as a LAN, a WAN, or the Internet. However, the size of the video data is critical when accessing the video from the Internet, where bandwidth is both limited and valuable.
For example, when streaming or recording video, the challenge always exists to provide adequate and enough details about the captured scene, without providing more or less than is necessary. Indeed, when streaming or recording video of a static scene, providing more or extra frames will not provide any advantages to a user viewing the video. Conversely, when streaming or recording video of a dynamic or high motion scene, providing fewer frames will cause the video to be jerky. Indeed, a user may want to utilize all available bandwidth when a captured scene includes motion so that the user can view each and every movement.
Notwithstanding the above, some known video systems in the surveillance industry are configured with a low and constant frame rate, resulting in jerky video when streaming and recording video of a dynamic or high motion scene, and resulting in missing video details when movements in a dynamic or high motion scene are quick. Conversely, some known video systems in the surveillance industry are configured with a high and constant frame rate, resulting in video that includes more information about a captured scene than is necessary, and resulting in wasted bandwidth and other limited and valuable resources. Indeed, known video systems that are configured with a constant frame rate, such that the same number of frames is streamed in every situation, inefficiently use bandwidth. Furthermore, known video systems that are configured with a constant frame rate, such that the same number of frames is stored in ever situation, inefficiently use storage space, for example, by storing a high number of frames or a high amount of video information, which can include useless information when captured motion is static or low.
FIG. 1 is a view of a timeline 100 of the frame rate of video vs. the level of motion in the video in accordance with known systems and methods. As seen in FIG. 1, in known systems and methods, the frame rate of the streamed and recorded video is constant over time. However, the level of motion in the video changes over time. Accordingly, during non-peak hours, as indicated at 110, when the level of motion in video may be low or a captured scene may be static, bandwidth is often wasted because the video streams and records more details than is necessary. While the constant bandwidth may be appropriate during hours when the level of motion in video is at a medium level, as indicated at 120, during peak hours, as indicated at 130, when the level of motion in video may be high or a captured scene may include crowds or high speed moving objects, the available bandwidth is often not sufficient to stream and record all of the details in the captured scene. Accordingly, many details may be lost by the video captured during peak hours.
In view of the above, there is a continuing, ongoing need for improved systems and methods.